Steering-gear.



D. E. ROSS.

' STEERING GEAR.

APPLlcATloN :FILED rea. a. 1912.

1,185,721. l PatentedJune6,1916.

WJTNESSES ,y v A l v` 'SLM' `lD STATES. PA

Dam E. Ross, or LA FAYETTE, INnIANA, Ass'IeNon 'rcnoss cmaNniooL comuni?, or LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, A' conroaArIoN or INDIANA. i

STEERING-Gaan.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAVID El. Ross, of La Fayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering- .Gears; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form partof .this specification.

This invention is an improvement in steer-` subjected when used on Commercial vehicles.

The improved steering gear is so c onstructed that it will resist enormous impact or pressure without breaking; will not develop lost motion; can ,be readily secured in the machine; and will safely hold the steerin wheels in any position to which they are adjusted by the operator under ordinary conditions.

In the preferred form of the invention the steering wheel is keyed`to a tubular stem on.

the lower end of which is a screw that, when turned by the wheel, imparts longitudinal motion to a sleeve which is internally threaded to engage the screw, and also has exterior spiral vthreads of much greater pitch'or lead than the threads on the screw, that engage internal threads on .the casing; so that when the sleeve is given a llongitudinal mocaused to turn by the exterior threads. Said sleeve is also provided with a number of internal longitudinal ykey-ways which are engaged by lcorresponding keys or ribs on the inner end of the steering arm or shaft,

Awhich projects into the sleeve, whereby when the sleeve is given rotative and longi.

'ltudinal motion it rotatesthe steering arm.

- By reason of the difference in pitch ofthe linternal and external threads on'the sleeve,

' the steering arm is turned more slowly than the stem'but with greatly augmented power` or' leverage; andiwhile ythearmcan 'bev turned by turning he stem, the stein cannot i` be turned by any pressure exerted on the I 'steering arm from the steering wheels, as

, con-4 stitute a\most'powerful 'lock andthe arm).l

the differential threads on the sleev Specification ofLetters Patent. Appueation men February s, 1912. serial No. 675,277.

` would break before the sleeve could be -Patentedauae e, 1.916.

the steering wheelsl t eesv y illustration of .a practical embodiment thereof; and to the appended claims for summaries ofthevnovel features and combinations of parts inl which the invention resides.

' In said drawings--Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of thecomplete steering gear. Fig. 2 is an enlargedtransverse section on'theline 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1.

The. complete steering gear, as shown,

comprises a handle or-hand wheel 1, keyed or otherwise non-rotatably secured to a tubular stem 2, which is' rotatably supported in a suitable metallic casing, as hereinafter explained.- Said stem 2 has an enlarged inner end which is formed lwith an exterior screw 'thread 2a that engages an internal .screw thread 3a in a sleeve 3 which is slidablyiand rotatably fitted within a cylindric Y l threads 3b, which are of lmuch greater pitch 'i i than the interior ,threads 3a, and which lthreads 3h engage corresponding internal tion bythe rotationof the screw, it ,is also4 threads or guide-waves 5b in the part 5 of one end, below the threads'3, with internal .longitudinal ,parallel lslots or key-ways 3,

which are-engaged by corresponding ribs or keys 4; on the inner end of'a shaft 4 journaled. in bearings in the lower end of the casing;S Said shaft 4 is provided on its outer end with a preferably integral crank 'or .such that when the A the casing. Said sleeve 3 is also provided in I atv parts are properly assembled and the stem- I 2 is turned, .-butfheld from'longitudinal movement, the screw 2a will compel sleeve 3 to move longitudinally .in the casing; but as the sleeve thus moves its threads 3*,which are of greater pitch than the threads 2,

will cause the sleeve to also turn, but at less A rapid rate than the stem 2; and when thev sleeves turns it will cause shaft 4 to turn with it; and thus swing the steering arm 4 right or left, according to the direction of rotation of the sleeve.

lThe stem 2 is shown as provided with an annular flange 2c above the screw 2a on opposite sides of which are placed sets of ball-bearings 6, 6a, which are confined in a chamber in an enlargement 5a of the upper `part of the casing; thel ball race-Ways and bearings are held in close contact with the flange 2C, to prevent it and the stem moving longitudinally of the casing, by means of a bushing 5g which is preferably screwed into the internally threaded. upper end of -the casing as shown; and such upper end of the casing is preferably split and provided with opposite ears 5e which may be clamped together by means of a bolt and nut, indicated at 5f, so that after the buslb ing 5g is properly adjusted it can be absolutely locked in such position by tightening bolt 5f; The ball bearingsthus prevent longitudinal play of the stem 2 in the casing and at the same time take up end thrust on the y stem, in either direction, and enable it to i be easily turned.

An annular bearing or washer 5h may be placed in the inner end of the bushing around the stem 2.

rllhe shaft 4 preferably has an enlargement 4e by which it is journaled in an annular bearing 4f, of bronze or other suitable metal; which bearing is tted in the lower end of the casing and is retained therein by Imeans of a cap piece 7 which is screwed over and onto the lower end of the casing. rlhis cap 7 when adjusted may be secured in position byv means of a pin 7c which can be engaged with one of the series of notches or apertures 7* in the periphery of the cap 7 and with an eye-lug 5i on the casing 5, see Fig. l. The pin 7 may be transixed by a cotter pin 7d so as to prevent casual disengagement.

The casing 5 may be provided with latneral flanges 5m which may be of any suit- :mentar various engine controlling devices, which are indicated in the drawings, but form no part of the present invention.

0n the upper end of the stem 2 is tapped a cap-nut 8 which secures the steering wheel l in position thereon. rlhis cap-nut may be provided with an opening closed by a plug valve 8a attached to a rod 8b 'extending into the stem 2, and a helical spring 8 is strung on the rod, between the nut 8 and a head or nut 8d. on the inner end of stem 8b, such spring normally holding the valve closed. rl`he stem 2 is `provided with an aperture 2n to permit oil to'pass from the stem down to the ball-bearings 6, 6a, and into the lower part of the casing. ln order to lubricate the gear the plug 8? may be lifted and the Istem and casing filled with machine oil.

rlhe stem is` thus used as a@ reservoir `tor the oil, and 4all parts are thoroughly lubricated, and as the steering gear is practically oiltight, it is rarely necessary to iefill the stem.

In the practical construction of my steeringv gear l have deemed it advisable to `form both the outer spiral andinner thread en the sleeve with such a lead that it is possible for the steering'arm to produce a slight reverse rotation of the steering wheel under very severe conditions, .in order to prevent too great a stress upon the link work. l-lowever, the leads are such that the driver iieels no appreciable reverse or twist action oit the steering wheel in his hands; and a light pressure on the steering wheel by the driver will immediately interlock the dierent leads and hold the steering wheels securely. Y

What l claim is:

l. lin a steering gear, the combination oi? a casin a tubular stem journaled in the casing an having exterior threads on its inner end, said 4tubular stem providing an oil reservoir, a valve for closing said reservoir; a sleeve in the casing having internal threads engaging the threaded stem, and having exterior threads of a greater pitch engaging corresponding threaded channels in the casing; and a steering shaft journaled in the casing and having its inner end engaging the adjacent end of the sleeve soI as to parn f* take of the rotary butnot of the longitudinal movement of the sleeve.

2. ln a steering gear, a` casing, a stem journaled therein, having an `o1l reservoir, a

steering wheel fitted to the upper end ot said stem, a cap engaging said stem and securing the steering wheel thereto and having an opening communicatingwith the reservoir, anda spring controlled valve for closing said .opening y Y 3. ln a steering gear, acasing, a tubular stem journaled therein, a steering wheel tted to the upper end of said stem, a cap engaging said stem and securing the steering wheel thereto, an opening in said cap comind municating with the interior of the stem, and a spring controlled valve for closing said opening; with a sleeve in the casing having interior threadslengaging threads of the stem, and exterior threads engaging corresponding channels in the casing, a steering shaft journaled in the casing adjacent the sleeve and having its inner end engaged with the sleeve so as to partake of the rotary movement of the sleeve but not of its longitudinal movement; and means for taking up end thrust on the stem.

4. In a steering gear, the combination ofV a casing having an enlarged upper end, and its intermediate portions interiorly threaded; a sleeve in the casing having exterior threads engaging the threads inthe casing and having internal threads of less pitch than the exterior threadsv and having internal longitudinal key-ways; a stem entering the casing and having an enlarged inner end provided with external threads engaging internal threads of the sleeve; and an annular collar above the threads; ball bearings within the casing above and below said collar, a bushing tapped into the casing around the stem and retaining the bearings in position, and a steering shaft journaled in a bearing in the lower end of the casing and having longitudinal ribs on its inner end engaging the longitudinal key-ways in the lower end of the sleeve, and having a steering arm on its outer end.

5. In a steering gear, the combination of a casing having an'enlarged upper end and its intermediate portions interiorly threaded; a' sleeve in the lcasing having exterior threads engaging the threads of the casing and having internal threads of less pitch ing an oil reservoir; land a steering shaft journaled in a bearing in the lower end of the casing and having longitudinal ribs on its inner end engaging longitudinal key- Ways in the sleeve, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID E. ROSS. Witnesses:

J. L. Ross, l GEO. C. KUMMING. 

